1140
Valerie recalls the witchcraft trial held in 1692 when Judah laid a curse on the Collins family. Synopsis Teaser : Collinwood in the year 1840. A force of evil will soon strike at the Collins family. Gerard Stiles has found the disembodied head of the warlock Judah Zachery and has been drawn to it. But he does not yet suspect that he is in danger of surrendering his whole being to a man who was executed for witchcraft in the year 1692. Gerard meets Valerie for the first time and calls her "Miranda". Act I Valerie becomes visibly nervous at the fact Gerard called her Miranda. He is unable to explain why he used that name and leaves in confusion. Valerie realizes that no one has called her Miranda in almost 150 years. In a flashback, Valerie remembers how frightened she was of Judah, but the prosecutor, Amadeus Collins, convinced her to testify against the warlock. At the trial, Judah's head was kept covered so his eyes would not influence her testimony. Miranda revealed that Judah had killed a man named Andrew Bronson, along with his wife and two children, when he had discovered Judah's witchcraft. She described how Judah had achieved the deaths through magic and by paying homage to Satan. He had threatened her with the destruction of all whom she loved, should she ever reveal his secret. Judah interrupted her testimony by declaring that she was lying, and that she had come to his side of her own free will. Miranda is thanked for her testimony, and she steps down, but Judah continues to yell. Amadeus pronounces him guilty, and sentences him to death. Judah curses Amadeus and all his descendants. Act II Valerie is alone in the drawing room, thinking to herself. She doesn't believe Gerard's explanation for why he called her Miranda, and becomes more nervous as she continues to think about it. Meanwhile, Gerard is back in his room and thinks about what happened at Collinwood. He approaches the Head, begging it to open its eyes and speak to him. Back at Collinwood, Quentin enters the drawing room and sees Valerie. She asks him if Gerard has any psychic powers, but Quentin says that Gerard likes to make people think he has those capabilities. Soon Daniel comes running in, asking Quentin if he has heard the news about Roxanne. Quentin says he has, and Daniel compares it to the attacks from when he was a boy in 1795. He turns and asks Valerie if she remembers those attacks as well, but Quentin stops him and sends him away. Quentin then goes to get a drink, and when he approaches the table he finds another letter addressed to him. The letter says "I will wait for you again under the tree." Act III Quentin asks Valerie if she saw anyone come in to leave the letter, but she says she hasn't seen anyone other than him and Gerard. At Rose Cottage, Gerard continues to pace around his room and continues to become enthralled by Judah. After looking at the Head, he calms himself down and begins to laugh and wonders why he is so afraid of what is going to happen to him. He then gloats to the Head before laying down on his bed. Later, Quentin goes to the oak tree in the woods and sees a woman standing there, but it turns out to be Daphne. Act IV Daphne claims she was just out for a walk, and Quentin seems to accept her explanation, although he remains suspicious. He asks her if she is happy at Collinwood and she tells him that she is, for the most part. She admits that Samantha bothers her sometimes. After he leaves she removes the pistol from her handbag, and looks at it, questioningly. As Gerard dreams, he hears Judah's voice calling to him. He beckons Gerard to remove the cover that conceals the Head. Gerard takes off the cover and sees his own head inside the case. Gerard's head looks up and he sees Judah laughing at him. The voice of Judah says soon his mind will take over Gerard's body, and Gerard's mind will become nothing. Gerard wakes up and realizes it was just a dream, but then notices the cover has mysteriously been placed over the Head. He then wonders if his dream is about to become true. Memorable quotes : Judah: Death is merely an extension of life. Judah Zachery will live on, and he will have his revenge! Mark my words, Amadeus Collins, you and your descendants will regret this day. I say to you, choose your form of execution carefully, for you and all who follow in your line will suffer the same form of death. I will have my revenge! ---- : Judah: (to Gerard) You wanted to know what will happen. Now you know. I am to become you, and you are to become nothing! Dramatis personae * Lara Parker as Angelique Bouchard Collins/Miranda DuVal * David Selby as Quentin Collins (1840) * James Storm as Gerard Stiles * Louis Edmonds as Daniel Collins / Amadeus Collins * Kate Jackson as Daphne Harridge * Michael McGuire as Judah Zachery * Keene Curtis as Judah Zachery (voice only) Background information and notes Production * First appearance of character Amadeus Collins. This was the seventh character played by actor Louis Edmonds in the original series. * Closing credits scene: Courthouse. Story * The only episode to feature scenes set in the year 1692, and the earliest the series will explore in the main time-band. In Parallel Time, the year 1680 will be seen. * Quentin has known Gerard for a year. * Daniel remembers an incident in the year 1797. The village was in an uproar, there was a series of vicious attacks, and each victim had two marks left on their neck and suffered a tremendous loss of blood. * DREAM SEQUENCE: Gerard dreams his own head is swapped with that of Judah. * FLASHBACK: Angelique remembers her past life as Miranda DuVal at the trial of Judah Zachery on November 5th, 1692. (This episode aired on November 6th, presumably the recent pre-emption resulting in 1134/1135 being double numbered, pushed this out of sync with the calendar.) ** This is the first time Angelique's prior identity as Miranda DuVal is revealed. This could be viewed as an error in continuity, since Natalie DuPres remembered Angelique as a child in Martinique, but it could be explained as Miranda having been reborn as Angelique. It has been almost 150 years since she was called Miranda. ** Andrew Bronson discovered Judah's acts of witchcraft. Bronson had threatened to go to the authorities. In order to prevent Bronson from going to the authorities, Judah summoned Miranda when a ritual was performed in which he gathered together some sticks, placed them in the shape of a house, then set fire to the sticks, and as they burned, paid homage to Satan. Moments later, Bronson's house was in flames. All the people in the village ran to try to save the Bronson family. Bronson, along with his wife and two children, died in the fire. ** In 1692, Miranda was promised that she would be immune from persecution and given safe escort out of the country for cooperating with the authorities in Judah's trial. Judah is charged with the crime of witchcraft on 109 counts and is found to be guilty on each and every one. Judah was beheaded the same year. * INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: Angelique: recalls voice of Gerard saying "Miranda" / Why did he call me Miranda?; Gerard: Why did I call her Miranda?; Quentin: (reads letter). * TIMELINE: Morning at the start of the episode. Bloopers and continuity errors * Louis Edmonds' name is spelled incorrectly (as 'Edmunds') in the credits. * A stagehand can be seen walking in the background as Amadeus threatens Miranda. * Amadeus stumbles over Andrew Bronson's name during the trial--he says, "Andrew Du...Bronson" (presumably about to say DuVal, which is Miranda's last name). * Louis Edmonds flubs a line as Daniel in describing Barnabas's attacks in 1797--he says the victims "suffered a tremendous amount of blood" instead of "loss of blood." * When Quentin is walking in the woods and meets Daphne, it is supposedly morning, yet the set is completely dark like night. * Kate Jackson flubs a line: "Does it have anything to do with this persons Joanna?" External Links Dark Shadows - Episode 1140 on the IMDb Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 1140 - You're a Miranda Gallery ( }}) Category:Dark Shadows episodes